Trial success for MSD's HIV drug

MSD's Isentress has demonstrated efficacy regardless of gender or race in a diverse population of adult patients with HIV-1 infection in an observational phase III study

MSD's Isentress (raltegravir) has demonstrated efficacy and tolerability when used as part of combination therapy regardless of gender or race in a diverse population of adult patients with HIV-1 infection in an observational phase III study.

The REALMRK study enrolled a total of 209 patients, 156 of whom were black and 98 of whom were female, with data obtained compared to previous phase III studies involving Isentress.

All participants were adult HIV-1-infected patients who had not undergone treatment previously, or were failing or intolerant to current antiretroviral (ARV) treatment.

Lead investigator Dr Kathleen Squires, director of the division of infectious disease and environmental medicine, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, and the study demonstrated the benefits of the drug in the diverse patient populations affected by HIV today, pointing out that black populations and women are disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic.